Today Eoghan is hosting an Oireachtas briefing on Cloud Computing as part of National Cloud Week which is running from the 23rd of April until Friday the 27th of April.

Cloud week is significant as the cloud has the potential to make an important contribution to the Irish economy in terms of growth and job creation, it also provides the opportunity to achieve real savings in both the public and private sector.

The aim of the Oireachtas briefing is to highlight to Members the efficiencies that can be achieved through cloud computing and the way the cloud can transform the way information is shared amongst public sector bodies.

Last week, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, published the Government’s new approach to eGovernment, which cemented the Government’s commitment  to ensuring public services be delivered faster, better and more efficiently to the general public and to businesses.

Paul Rellis, Managing Director of Microsoft Ireland, and Niall McDonagh, Director of Cloud Computing, Western Europe Public Sector will be providing the briefing.

http://www.findspollen.com/

Deputy Eoghan Murphy:     Jonathan Spollen is 28 years old, six feet tall and from Ireland. He was last seen on 3 February 2012 in Rishikesh in the region of Uttarakhand in northern India. Mr. Spollen works as a writer and editor for the International Herald Tribune in Hong Kong. His father, David Green, and some family and friends visited the Rishikesh area to search for Jonathan, while his mother, Lynda Spollen, is co-ordinating all efforts here.

The picture that has emerged is that Jonathan was mostly travelling in the Rishikesh area in January 2012, near the German bakery area. He was on a trek from 14 to 28 January. His trip to India was recreational and he had previously been travelling with a friend. He came back from this trek with a tummy bug and a slight limp after a tumble near a waterfall.

Jonathan’s Indian visa would have expired on 21 February 2012, which is relevant, given that as a journalist working abroad he would have been conscious of ensuring that his visa situation would not be prejudiced by passing the expiry date. His last telephone call home was in the early morning, Indian time, of 3 February 2012. He had at that time been planning to go to Delhi but had changed his mind and seemed to be intent on going on another trek in the Rishikesh region. Communications with his family had been good up to that point. He indicated he would be gone for two to three weeks, but he did say that he would be in touch with his mother in two weeks’ time. Jonathan has not contacted his family since then and in late February, his mother and father raised the alarm with local authorities, the Irish Embassy in India and with family and friends.

Around 11 March 2012, some of Jonathan’s belongings were found by a small waterfall halfway up the road to Phool Chatti, nearby Rishikesh. It looks like he was camping there. This has meant that the authorities have given more priority to the search. However, any further diplomatic efforts will no doubt ensure that maximum resources and skill are devoted to this effort. Among his belongings found were his backpack, containing travel documents, a book and the usual things one would expect such as shampoo, basic medicines for upset stomach, headache, and so on. On investigation at the location, the police also found his sleeping bag and some clothes.

On 12 March 2012, another confirmed sighting of Jonathan emerged since the conversation he had with his mother on 3 February. He was in Lakshman Jhula, Rishikesh, between 12 and 14 Feb 2012, where he spoke with a lady for some time as they were both reading the same book, Shantaram. They discussed the book and generally chatted but the conversation did not turn to anything that may be relevant to the search.

Numbers far beyond what the local police force could be expected to provide are required here. Volunteers are needed and fund-raising efforts are being co-ordinated from Ireland. The Minister of State may have seen posters for table quizzes and other events happening in and around Dublin, as well as much activity online. Anything the Minister of State and the Government can do at the highest level would be incredibly helpful here. As time goes by, these things always become more difficult for everybody involved. If we can help in some way to keep up the sustained effort until we can find Jonathan and bring some news for his family, that would be incredibly important. His family needs our help in this matter urgently.

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Deputy Joe Costello:     I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. My Department has been providing consular assistance to the family of the missing person since being notified of the matter on 27 February this year. The Irish Embassy in New Delhi alerted the relevant authorities immediately on becoming aware of the matter and asked that full assistance be given to the person’s family in tracing the person. The embassy also confirmed details of the person’s Indian visa and checked with the Indian authorities as to whether an extension had been granted.

The person last made contact with relatives on 3 February 2012 from the town of Rishikesh in the state of Uttarakhand in northern India. The terrain of Uttarakhand is generally mountainous, comprising Himalayan ranges and their foothills. Much of the lower mountains and foothills, including the Rishikesh area, are densely forested. The capital of Uttarakhand is the city of Dehradun. The embassy assisted the family with the process to release the person’s telephone records from Vodafone.

The town of Rishikesh is situated on the Ganges, which is sacred to Hindus, and has a population of around 75,000 people. It is often described as the gateway to the Himalayas. The town itself is at an altitude of approximately 350 m, so its climate is comparable to the plains of northern India. Winter prevails until mid-February, but temperatures generally remain in the 10° to 20° Celsius range. Steep hills and mountains surround the town and are accessible by paths. Temperatures drop considerably with the increase in altitude. The town is an important access point for a number of Hindu shrines higher up in the Himalayas that are spiritually significant to Hindus and as such, the town caters to large numbers of Indian pilgrims. However, the four most important shrines are situated at an altitude above 3,000 m and remain closed or inaccessible in February due to snow.

Rishikesh is also a centre for outdoor pursuits and attracts many visitors seeking to explore the natural beauty of the Himalayas. The town has many travel companies offering mountaineering, trekking, rafting, kayaking and so on, and it attracts many backpackers. Trekking options during February are limited due to climate conditions.

On 11 March, tourists found some of the person’s personal possessions in the Rishikesh area. A consular official from the embassy travelled to the region and met local and state authorities, including the state director general of police in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. In addition, the embassy made a formal approach to the Government of India, asking for a full search of the area in which the belongings were found. A search was subsequently carried out, but unfortunately the person concerned has not been located. The consular official also met the family and friends of the person, who had travelled from Ireland to assist in the search.

The embassy has also advised the family on various sources of local information, such as travellers’ fora, which have allowed the family to tap into the travellers’ network and get additional practical help. The ambassador of Ireland to India has met the person’s father and other family members and the embassy remains fully engaged with this case.

Deputy Eoghan Murphy:     I thank the Minister of State for his reply and I appreciate all the work that has been done to date by the Government. The family and friends have not given up the search, and neither should we. I urge the Minister of State again to make contact at the highest levels with the Indian authorities, at a national level and within the region, to see what further assistance the Government can provide and to see if we can renew efforts to find Jonathan Spollen. The media can also play a huge role in creating awareness and in helping the family and friends to raise money for the efforts that are under way. People can go on to the website, findspollen.com, to express support, to help and to make donations to the campaign. It would be very helpful to all the efforts that are under way if that could be reported as widely as possible.

Deputy Joe Costello:     We will certainly continue to do what we can. The embassy is well aware of the matter and is dealing with it, but I will bring to its attention the Deputy’s point that the relevant Indian authorities be contacted at national and local level and how the local media can maximise awareness through articles about what has happened and how the website can be used for donations and assistance. We will bring that to the attention of the embassy and we will try to ensure every effort is made.

Contact Details

You can phone, e-mail or text at any time:

Police: +91 135 243 0228
David mobile: +91 8802708618
David e-mail: davidgreen100@xtra.co.nz
Lynda e-mail: lyndaspollen@eircom.net
Phone: +353 1 216 4441
Phone or text: +353 87 243 8996

A support and donations site to assist in the search efforts has been opened at http://www.findspollen.com/.

Posters can be downloaded from this site.

Sandbox, the foremost global community of young innovators under the age of 30, is starting its first Irish hub today, April 19. The Taoiseach launched the hub at 10am this morning at Government Buildings. Eoghan Murphy TD, local Sandbox advisor and John Egan Dublin Sandbox ambassador were also in attendance.

With over 650 members in its global network, the main aim of the organisation is to identify exceptional people worldwide who have already made an impact in business at a very young age. The Sandbox community then helps these individuals to develop their skills further by introducing them to like-minded peers from around the world, providing access to senior leaders and identifying opportunities to help them reach their full potential.

Speaking before the launch, Eoghan Murphy Fine Gael TD for Dublin South East and local Sandbox advisor said “We’re a young country and it’s an exciting time for young people who are taking the initiative and launching their own ideas and enterprises. There is huge potential here. Sandbox launching a hub in Dublin is recognition of that – and it’s a testament to John Egan and everyone else involved for bringing them here.  The Taoiseach wants Ireland to be the best small country in the world in which to do business and Sandbox is a part of that vision.”

“Sandboxers are already successful in their respective fields,” explained John Egan, founder of Archipelago and Sandbox’s Dublin Ambassador. “We help them to develop their projects and skills, and increase their reach globally. We do this by offering Sandboxers connections, tools, support and inspiration.”

“Through our Archie Talks series, we know already that there are a lot of amazing young Irish entrepreneurs doing exceptional things,” Egan continued. “For Sandbox to decide to choose Dublin as their next international hub is a great credit to the work of Ireland’s young business community and a vindication of sorts of the work that they are doing, despite being faced with difficult obstacles every step of the way. When Sandbox launches in Dublin on April 19, one of our first missions will be to help remove some of the obstacles that we face at home by introducing the best and brightest Irish entrepreneurs to some of their peers in other countries around the world.”

Notes to the Editor:

Founded in Zurich, Switzerland in May 2009, Sandbox was established to give young achievers the throughout the world an ecosystem that helps accelerate them to a point where they can make a real difference in their home country and on a global level before they reach the age of 30.

Some of the world’s most prominent young entrepreneurs will travel to Ireland for the launch of the Dublin hub, among them will be members of the World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders and speakers from the internationally-renowned TED Talks series.

Attendees of the launch of Sandbox’s Dublin Hub are:
Jan Sremek (Czech Republic) – Founder, Erudify, EX Goldman Sachs
Keyun Ruan (China) – PHD and Founder, Xensix, Global Leader Cloud Forensics
Rahaf Harfoush (Canada) – Author, Strategist, Speaker and Founder of Red Thread,  http://www.rahafharfoush.com/
Nico Luchsinger (Switzerland) – CEO, Sandbox
Dave Langer & Andy Young (UK) – Co-Founders, Groupspaces http://groupspaces.com/c/welcome
Christian Reber (Germany) Founder – WunderKinder6 http://www.6wunderkinder.com/
Hans Rattauf (Germany) – Co-Founder, Palomar 5
Logan McClure (USA) – TED Fellows
Kasper Hulthin (Norway) – Founder, Podio https://podio.com/
Tia Kansara (UK) – Director, Kansara Hackney, Bartlett prize winner and Sandbox Global Ambassador
Patrick Liotard-Vogt (Switzerland) – Founder, A Small World http://www.asmallworld.net/
Dominik Grolimund (Austria) – Co-Founder and CEO, Waula http://www.wuala.com/
Isabel Pesce Mattos (Brazil) – Founder, Lemon http://lemon.com/
Tomas Laboutka (Czech) – Founder, FLV Ventures
Mariano Kostelec (Portugal) – Founder uniplaces.com http://www.uniplaces.com/
Will McQuillan (UK) – Founder, Osmoda
Kane Sarahan (USA) – Founder, Entsitute http://www.enstituteu.com/
Jonas Liepman (Germany) – Founder, Iversity http://www.iversity.org/
Maximillian vd Ahé (Germany) – Founder, BetaHaus
Max Mummer (USA) – Founder, Start-Up Genome https://www.startupcompass.co/
Bjorn Lasse (USA) – Founder, Blackbox
Alexandros Pagendos (USA) – Founder, The Glint
Otto Von Troshke (Switzerland) – Founder, SUSI partners http://www.susi-partners.ch/about
Teju Ravilochan (USA) – Founder, Unreasonable Institute http://unreasonableinstitute.org/

‘No’ vote will not stop the treaty – but it will hurt us – Hayes

Mon, Apr 16, 2012

OPINION: AT THE heart of any currency system is a precious commodity; more precious than gold. That commodity is confidence. Take away confidence and no currency is safe. The collapse of a currency or the rapid destruction of its value has profoundly negative consequences for any country.

We in Ireland have been very privileged. We have always been members of a stable currency union except for a brief period when we floated as part of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism.

In 2010 and part of 2011 the spectre of a euro collapse made an unwelcome presence. Uncertainty, fear and panic began to spread like a dangerous virus across Europe. Confidence began to ebb away, inter-bank lending stalled and capital began to fly to perceived safe havens. Banks began to see a run on deposits and many ordinary citizens showed more confidence in their mattress than in their local bank. People in Ireland felt a new kind of fear for the first time in their lives. We don’t want to bring it back.

Having looked into the abyss, euro zone leaders and European institutions stepped back from the brink and set about saving our common currency. And let us not forget that basic point. The euro is Ireland’s currency. It is our currency. It is in Ireland’s national interest to strengthen its defences.

The economic crisis exposed serious weaknesses in the design and management of the euro system. European leaders have been involved in an effort to retrofit the euro system and make it fit for purpose.

It’s been a bit like carrying out major heart surgery while the heart is still beating.

The Fiscal Stability Treaty is just one part of the major reconstruction of the euro system. Other elements include the European Financial Stability Fund, the European Stability Mechanism, the European Banking Authority, the Six Pack programme, a more flexible approach by the ECB – which saw two massive injections of liquidity into the banking system – and ever-closer co-ordination of euro zone economic policies.

Strengthening the euro system of itself will not restore the euro zone to robust economic health, but it is an absolutely necessary condition for a return to sustainable growth in Europe.

At the centre of the current Irish debate on Europe is the issue of debt and the interest rate burden associated with that debt. And let me challenge those who say this Government is pursuing some kind of harsh austerity programme. A government deficit of 8.6 per cent of GDP in 2012 is not austerity. No reduction in basic social welfare rates; taking 320,000 people out of the universal social charge; no increase in income tax rates; staying with the Croke Park deal; restoring the minimum wage to €8.65. Show me the austerity in any of these measures?

And let us look at the most basic point of all. Leaving aside all interest charges on government debt we still need to borrow in the order of €10 billion to balance the books in 2012. Where is the austerity in that?

The dilemma we face is this: the property price bubble also inflated a bubble in central government and local authority revenues. The property bubble burst. There is no going back to the fantasy world of the final years of the Celtic Tiger. We have to live and pay our way in the world as it is now. Wishing it different will not make it so.

That real world is the troika providing Ireland with the resources and the time to sort our financial problems.

That real world is also the fact that the Irish banking system is highly dependent on ECB support for its very survival.

And any objective commentator will accept the fact that this Government has shown persistence, determination and firmness of purpose in renegotiating the bailout programme. A measure of success has been achieved. The work continues.

But we face a basic choice now. We can choose to bring our finances into better balance or we can choose to remain under the control and in the permanent care of the troika.

And central to the debate about debt is the question of inter-generational equity. Borrowing for current spending is in effect this generation taking from the future to maintain today’s lifestyle.

It is the workers of tomorrow who will have to pay back this debt and the interest payments on it. Equity demands that we not shackle our children with an unjust burden of debt. We have an obligation to live within our means.

Those who advocate even higher levels of spending must answer some very simple questions. Who will lend us the money and how will we pay it back? And if we cannot borrow the money what new taxes and what extra cuts will they impose?

A Yes vote on May 31st will be another step on the road to recovery, towards making the future more stable and more secure. A Yes vote will be a major confidence-building measure for Ireland and the euro.

A No vote will increase uncertainty, will introduce new risks and will cause a return of instability.

A No vote will undermine the international confidence in Ireland, which this Government has fought so hard to restore.

A No vote will certainly increase borrowing costs for Ireland when we do return to the markets and it could even fatally undermine our capacity to return to those markets.

Voting No will not stop this treaty going ahead. And it will make it more difficult for Ireland to access European Union funding if we need it in the future.

Why throw away that insurance policy? Voting No would be like shooting ourselves in the foot.

We must not take for granted what has already been accomplished.

Government finances are on track to a better balance and a sustainable path. The economy is showing some signs of growth. People are longer afraid of losing their deposits. That most precious of commodities, confidence, is making a comeback.

Those who always say No have no real solutions. They think we can sail away in a leaky currach to some kind of Tir na nÓg where the sun always shines and credit always flows. If we listen to their siren voices Ireland will find itself on the rocks.

We need to be realistic. We need to be pragmatic. We are being asked to make a choice on May 31st. And before we make that choice we must ask ourselves a simple question. Which choice will make this country, this economy, safer, more secure?

If we ask ourselves that question I believe the overwhelming response will be a Yes vote.

——————————————————————————–

Brian Hayes TD is Minister of State for Finance

Eoghan Murphy Fine Gael TD for Dublin South East moved the Tax Transparency Bill 2012 on Thursday the 29th of March in the Dáil.

After moving the Bill Murphy said “It is time that we let the people know directly, and in detail, how we spend their money. This is their right as taxpayers and it is our responsibility as government. Transparency in government must be at the centre of everything we do”.

The Bill compels the Minister for Finance to issue annual statements to each tax payer detailing how much tax they paid in the previous year and how the government intends to spend that money in the coming year. The statement will resemble an itemised receipt detailing the recipient’s contribution in euros and cents to different areas of government spending. For example, it will detail how much the person will spend in the coming year on areas like social protection, health, paying off the national debt even.

Two additional elements to the Bill will be a VAT and excise calculator on the Department’s website, which would assist people in estimating their previous VAT and excise payments in the year and would perform a similar function to the annual statement on income tax. The other element is a proposal that would see all single expenses or payments over five thousand euro incurred by a Department published in real time on that Department’s website. “This would help people to follow the money from their own statements to the relevant Department’s spend” according to Murphy.

http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=20774&&CatID=59

Tax Transparency Bill 2012 – Explanatory Memorandum

Introduction

The Bill makes provision for the issuance to each person paying income tax (and other such taxes on earnings) of an annual statement detailing tax paid in the most recent tax year, the estimated tax payments to be made in the coming tax year and a breakdown of the areas of government spending on which the recipient of the statement’s taxes are to be spent.

The breakdown will be provided in percentage terms as well as in simple monetary terms and will be presented as an itemised receipt for the taxpayer detailing how the government is to spend the taxes the recipient paid on earnings in the previous year.

The intention is to provide greater transparency as to spending by government departments and agencies in a given year as well as to draw a stronger correlation between taxes paid by individuals and state services delivered. There should also be a positive effect in terms of the preparation of annual budgets, public debate around the financial planning of the government, and a move to more responsible budgeting.

In addition to the annual statement, the Bill also provides for the publication on-line of a calculator for estimating the total amount of value added tax and excise paid on goods and services by an individual. The on-line calculator will perform a similar function to that of the annual statement in detailing how such indirect taxes are to be spent by government departments and agencies. This should provide further information to the taxpayer as to how the government is spending monies collected.

A final element to the Bill is a commitment from the government to make the necessary provisions to introduce a new minimum threshold for the publication of money spent by a department or agency. This would see government purchase orders of more than five thousand euro being published on-line within one month of the order being paid. This provision is included so that the individual can follow more accurately the spending behaviour of a given department, leading to further transparency of government finances.

Contents of the Bill

The Bill is made up of four parts and ten sections covering the three related purposes of the Bill as outlined above.  Part 1 (Sections 1-3)

This Part contains general provisions such as the short title and commencement provisions (section 1), definitions (section 2), and the purpose of the Act (section 3).  Part 2 (Sections 4-5)

This Part contains two sections that address the central purpose of the Bill, which is to cause the Minister for Finance to publish annually and to issue to each person having paid tax on income and other earnings in the previous tax year an itemised statement of taxes paid and a detailed breakdown of the areas of government spending on which the paid taxes are to be spent.

Section 4 contains this central provision regarding the publication of the statement and details the content of that statement, namely: money earned by the recipient of the statement in the previous year and taxes paid on earnings; anticipated taxes on earnings in the coming year; a breakdown of areas of government spending on which the paid taxes are to be spent, including a description in simple monetary terms; and, figures detailing the recipient’s share of the national debt, annual contribution to national debt repayments, and share of annual national surpluses or deficits.

Responsibility for the issuing of the annual statement, how it is to issue and when, is covered in Section 5.

Part 3 (Sections 6-7)  This Part contains two sections that address the second purpose of the Bill, which is to cause the Minister to provide for an on-line tax calculator for estimating value added tax and excise paid by an individual person with a view to calculating a detailed breakdown of the areas of government spending on which the paid taxes are to be spent, similar to the type of information to be provided in the annual statement on taxes on earnings.

Section 6 establishes the obligation while section 7 outlines the functions of the on-line tax calculator.

Part 4 (Sections 8-10)  This Part contains three sections and addresses the third purpose of the Bill, which is to cause the Government to make the necessary provisions so that every purchase order by a government department or agency of more than five thousand euro must be published on-line, with exceptions.

Section 8 outlines the central obligation, with section 9 detailing how and when such information is to be published. Section 10 provides for exemptions.

March 2012

Property Services Regulatory Authority will help to restore confidence in property market and provide much needed transparency

The Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter T.D, today announced that he has signed the first Commencement Order and the Establishment Order under the Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011.  The primary purpose of the Act is to establish the Property Services Regulatory Authority with a mandate to set and enforce standards in the provision of property services by auctioneers, letting agents and property management agents and to provide redress mechanisms for consumers of those services. The Authority will also have statutory responsibility for the publication of residential property sales prices and the establishment and maintenance of a Commercial Leases Database.

The Orders signed yesterday provide for the establishment of the Property Services Regulatory Authority on 3rd April, 2012.

Minister Shatter said that “the statutory functions of the Property Services Regulatory Authority include the publication of residential property sales prices and establishment of a Commercial Leases Database as well as the licensing of auctioneers, letting agents and property management agents. I believe that the lack of transparency in the residential housing market and the absence of proper consumer protection standards, have contributed in no small way to the problems of recent years. That is why the Programme for Government contains a strong commitment to improve the quality of information available on the Irish housing market by requiring that the selling price of all dwellings is recorded in a publicly available, national housing database.

I am pleased therefore to have delivered on the Government’s strong commitment to improved transparency in this legislation. I am confident that publication of residential property sales prices and information provided in the new Commercial Leases Database will help to restore much-needed confidence and revive property markets. I expect that this will be one of the Authority’s early priorities following its establishment.

Under the legislation, auctioneers will be required to publish a realistic “advised market value” of property for sale rather than using the discredited “guide price” mechanism. And the new requirement for transparency when auctioneers provide advice and information about the availability of loans from lending institutions to intending purchasers, will help to avoid the type of conflict of interests which can result in such purchasers borrowing excessively to their detriment.”

The Minister also today appointed a Chairperson and ten ordinary members to the Authority.  The Minister announced in December 2011 that he was seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified members of the public to be considered for appointment and 113 applications were received in total.  Under the legislation appointments will be on a part-time basis for a three or four year term.

The Chairperson is Ms. Geraldine Clarke who is a solicitor with Gleeson McGrath Baldwin, Solicitors, Dublin.  Ms. Clarke is head of the firm’s Litigation Department and is a past President of the Law Society.

The ten other members appointed by the Minister to the Authority are:

·        Ms. Carol Boate
·        Mr. Edward Carey
·        Mr. Patrick Davitt
·        Mr. James Doorley
·        Ms. Deirdre Fox
·        Mr. Martin Hanratty
·        Ms. Josephine Henry
·        Mr. Paul Mooney
·        Mr. Myles O’Reilly
·        Ms. Regina Terry

Announcing the members of the new Authority the Minister said:

“I am delighted to announce details of these appointments today.  I was extremely impressed with the overall standard of application I received when I sought expressions of interest for appointment to the Authority last December and I can assure you that my task in selecting the most suitably qualified candidates was not an easy one.

I am confident however that I have appointed members of the very highest calibre who between them have a vast range of skills, knowledge and experience in consumer affairs, business, finance, management or administration and other subjects necessary to assist the Authority in performing its functions.

The establishment of the Property Services Regulatory Authority and the appointment of the above members to the Authority will provide clients of property service providers with much greater confidence in future property transactions and associated business dealings.  It will at the same time ensure that there is a proper oversight of the new standards which will reflect well on auctioneers, estate agents and property management agents throughout the country.  The harsh economic environment we have operated in as a country for the last few years has been particularly difficult and challenging for those involved in all aspects of the property business and therefore the establishment of the new Authority and the appointment of its members is timely and very welcome.

Finally, I want to thank all those who expressed an interest in becoming a member of the Authority following my public invitation for expressions of interest.”

 04 April 2012

Note to Editors

The Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011 provides for the establishment of the Property Services Regulatory Authority. The main functions of the Authority will be as follows:

Licensing of property services providers
The Act will replace the current court-based system for regulating auctioneers and house agents with an updated regulatory system covering auctioneers, estate agents, and property management agents.

As part of the licensing system, the Authority will specify and implement the following standards:
·        standards relating to the required education, training and experience levels of applicants for licences,
·        levels of professional indemnity insurance,
·        quality of financial accounting systems, and  
·        ethical standards to be observed in the provision of property services.

Redress mechanisms
The Authority will investigate complaints against auctioneers, estate agents and property management agents and impose sanctions in respect of improper conduct. It will also carry out investigations on its own volition. A Compensation Fund is also being established to provide compensation for losses arising from the dishonesty of licensees.

Setting other property related standards
Under the legislation –

·        Auctioneers, estate agents and property management agents will be required to conclude a detailed agreement (‘letter of engagement’) with clients within 7 days of agreeing to provide a property service.

·        Auctioneers will be required to publish a realistic “advised market value” of property for sale rather than using the discredited “guide price” mechanism.

·        In order to avoid any conflict of interest and ensure transparency, an auctioneer who wishes to provide a financial service to a purchaser of property which the auctioneer is selling will be required to obtain the agreement of the vendor of the property.

·        An auctioneer who promotes a loan package to intending purchasers will be required to indicate whether or not the financial institution offering the loan had already funded the development (or was prepared to fund it where housing units are being sold from plans).

·        In the case of private treaty sales, auctioneers will be required to maintain records of all offers received in respect of property.

·        The legislation gives the new Authority a power to make regulations in relation to other property-related matters, such as specifying the content of advertisements for the sale or letting of property; standards for measuring property; the determination do the cost of surveys, etc. 

Residential Property Prices and Commercial Leases
The statutory functions of the new Authority will also include –

·        the publication of residential property sales prices; and

·        the establishment and maintenance of a public database containing relevant details of letting arrangements and rent reviews in the commercial property market.

These measures will help to restore consumer confidence in the property market.

 Authority Members

Geraldine Clarke (Chairperson): is a solicitor with Gleeson McGrath Baldwin, Solicitors, Dublin.  She is head of the firm’s Litigation Department.  She has extensive experience in all aspects of commercial and general litigation practicing in the areas of banking, intellectual property, employment, EU law, product liability and general contract disputes.  Geraldine is a past President of the Law Society and Founding Director of the Irish Centre for European Law.  A fluent French speaker, she was head of the Irish Delegation to the CCBE (Council of Europe Bars and Law Societies) for a number of years and is now the representative of the Law Society to the IBA (International Bar Association). She is a member of the Irish Financial Services Appeals Tribunal which was established to decide appeals from decisions of the Financial Regulator. Geraldine was a member of the PSRA Implementation Group which was set up to assist and advice on practical matters relating to the establishment of the new body and to prepare for the new licensing system. As Chairperson Designate, Geraldine engaged with the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on 27 March, 2012.

Carol Boate: has worked as an Advocacy division Manager with The Competition Authority since 2003.  In this capacity she manages a team charged with advocating the reform of anti-competitive laws, regulations and administrative practices.   Carol was a member of the Auctioneering/Estate Agency Review Group that recommended in 2005 the setting up of the Property Services Regulatory Authority.  She has subsequently advised the (interim) Property Services Regulatory Authority on appropriate minimum standards of education, training and experience and a Code of Practice for property service providers.

Edward Carey: is Managing Director, Property Team Carey Auctioneers, Enfield, Co. Meath. He has 20 years professional industry experience as a practicing auctioneer and valuer. Edward is a former President of the Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Institute (IAVI) and is currently Chairman, Residential Agency Practice Group, Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.

Patrick Davitt: has worked in auctioneering for over 30 years.  He was a member of the Auctioneering/Estate Agency Review Group in 2004 set up to look at auctioneering practices in Ireland one of whose recommendations was the setting up of the Property Services Regulatory Authority.   Patrick has been a member of the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (IPAV) since 1983 and a Fellow of the Institute since 1985.  He was arbitrator of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) in 2004.  He is currently a consultant to an insurance brokerage he set up in 1981 but which is currently owned by Campion Insurance.

James Doorley: is Assistant Director of National Youth Council of Ireland with responsibility for Advocacy and Representation 2006-present. He was previously employed by the Disability Federation of Ireland as Regional Officer North East 2002-2006. James was Chairperson of Consumers’ Association of Ireland 2007-2010 (voluntary/unpaid position) having been a volunteer with the organisation since 2000.  He is Irish Representative on the EU Commissions Consumer Consultative Group 2010 to present.  He was a delegate to BEUC (The European Consumers’ Organisation) 2007-2010.

Deirdre Fox: has, for the last five years, been the Chairperson of the Board of a Owners Management Company.  Deirdre was engaged by Dublin City Council as a mentor for owner management companies and she established the Apartment Owners Network in 2008 to provide a voice for members of management companies. Opinions provided by the Network were considered by the Law Reform Commission and by the Department of Justice in their drafting of the Multi Unit Development Act 2009.  Deirdre presented the consumer view point on the Act at the Sustainable Communities and Housing Committee in Dublin Castle in 2011.

Martin Hanratty: has a M.Sc. in Planning and Development and has worked in the construction and property industries for over 35 years. He currently lectures in the Dublin Institute of Technology School of Real Estate and Construction Economics.  He is also the Head of the Department of Real Estate at the college where he is responsible for a number of courses in the property area ranging from Ordinary Degree to MSc level. Martin is a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland Surveying Courses Accreditation Committee.

Josephine Henry: has been employed since 1997 as an Advocate Planner for Inner City Communities with Community Technical Aid (CTA) Dublin.  She has to date completed over 100 consultations/reports on local plans, leisure projects, planning schemes, infrastructure projects, RAPID Plans, traveller housing, play design and disability access.   She has provided training to communities and councillors on the Irish Planning System and advised communities and councillors on three successive Dublin City Development Plans.  Josephine’s qualifications include a Certificate in Housing Management (Development and Inclusion for those with Disabilities) from the National college of Ireland and Irish Council for Social Housing; an MSc in Spatial Planning from DIT and a Diploma in Legal Studies.  She is currently a member of the Citizen Information Board (CIB) and a former member of Comhar (National Sustainable Development Partnership) 2002-2004.

Paul Mooney: has worked exclusively in Property Management in Ireland for twenty years.  He is a Director/Partner in Strathmore Ivernia Ltd offering Property Management and Consultancy services to Owner Management Companies and other property owners and occupiers.  As a member of the Irish Property and Facility Managers Association he was part of the delegation in 2006/07 making presentations to the Law Reform Commission, Officer of Director of Corporate Enforcement, National Property Services Regulatory Authority and the National Consumer Agency regarding issues and difficulties in Multi Unit Developments.  Paul holds a Diploma in Auctioneering and Valuations from the Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Institutes and is a member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland. He is an accredited Mediator with Mediation Forum Ireland. He completed Adjudication Induction for Private Residential Tenancies Board (2004).

Myles O’Reilly: is a graduate of Harvard University Program for Management Development (1977).  He worked as an accountant in several Dublin based companies between 1963 and 1991 when he opened a consultancy practice, O’Reilly Consultants, offering advice on management, competition and fair trade issues including; for 8 years advice to IBEC on competition and indirect taxes; for 4 years was consultant to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business on insurance reform preparing in that period 5 published reports. In 1990, as Chairperson of the Fair Trade Commission, Myles compiled a report of a Study of Restrictions in the professions of Architects, Surveyors, Auctioneers and Valuers.  He represented IBEC on the Review Group on Competition and Mergers established in 1986 which published its final report in 2000 which led to the introduction of the Irish Competition Act 2002.

Regina Terry: is a Principal Officer in the Civil Law Reform Division of the Department of Justice and Equality.  During the course of her career she has worked on a variety of legislative projects.  She is also a non-practising barrister.

 Fees

Members of the Authority will be paid Category 4 fees* as follows:

Chairperson        –        €8,978

Member        –        €5,985

*Departmental representatives and other public sector employees will not be paid any fees.

The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is operating the ‘Structures at Risk Fund’ for 2012.

This will be administered by the Conservation Section of Dublin City Council.
The fund is intended to assist with works to safeguard structures protected under the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2011 and, in certain cases, works to structures within Architectural Conservation Areas, where, an urgent need for works to such structures has arisen and has been demonstrated. Only structures in immediate danger of significant deterioration will qualify for consideration for funding by the Department. Due to the limited resources available for the operation of this fund only two applications can go forward to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for consideration. The fund is not intended to assist in the carrying out of routine maintenance, alterations or improvements.

Applications under this fund must be made to the Dublin City Council, Conservation Section, Development Department, Block 3 Floor 3, Civic Offices, Wood Quay, Dublin 8.

Please note that the deadline for submission of completed applications to the Conservation Section of Dublin City Council is 4pm, 13 April 2012.

Click here for application form and details of scheme:

The Secretary General of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation was in attendance at today’s PAC discussing City and Enterprise Boards. Click here to watch the proceedings and scroll to  01.51.22 to watch my contribution.

A new €30 million fund for important sports capital projects has been launched today by Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring TD.

This is the first round of sports capital funding for four years and demonstrates the Government’s commitment to encourage more people to take part in sport.

The Sports Capital Programme is the main channel of Government support for developing sports facilities and purchasing sports equipment for sports clubs and organisations across Ireland.

The scheme will also be open to far more clubs and groups than ever before, because a strict requirement on landownership has been relaxed. In the past, all applicants had to own their land or have it on a long lease. Minister Ring has decided that these clubs will now be able to apply for grants of up to €25,000 to upgrade facilities.

“In line with the Programme for Government, this new Sports Capital scheme will have a stronger focus on projects which increase active participation in sport, particularly in disadvantaged areas. Under this scheme pitches will be drained, floodlights will be installed, sports halls will be improved and dressing rooms will be built,” Minister Ring said.

“Thanks to these grants, people will have more opportunities than ever to get active and stay active in a wide range of sports. It will also have a positive impact on job creation in construction.”

The minimum amount of matching funding which clubs and organisations will need to provide themselves in order to apply for a grant has been halved from the previous round of the programme in 2008:

Groups in RAPID areas will only need to raise a minimum of 5% of the project cost in order to apply;
Groups in CLÁR areas will only need to raise a minimum of 10% of the project cost in order to apply;
Groups in non-disadvantaged areas will only need to raise a minimum of 15% of the project cost in order to apply.

Minister Ring said he is delighted to be able to able to oversee the return of the Sports Capital Programme. However, with less money available than in the past, many grants will be smaller. He also stressed that the Department will monitor spending by clubs closely in order to ensure it is utilised fully for the purpose intended.

Further information

Application forms and information about how to apply is available on the website: www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie.

The deadline for applications made online and those made in Irish (and hard copy of the signed application form and all supporting documentation) must reach the Department by 5pm on Friday 1st June 2012.

Paper based applications (and all supporting documentation) must reach the Department by 5pm on Friday 11th May 2012.

Richard Bruton T.D, Minister for Jobs Enterprise and Innovation today (Tuesday) in Beijing signed a memorandum of understanding on Ireland-China Science and Innovation Cooperation with Mr. Wan Gang, Minister of Science and Technology, during Minister Bruton’s 7-day trade and investment mission to China.

The memorandum sets out the objectives and modes of cooperation on science and innovation between the two countries. Cooperative activities envisaged include exchange of scientific and technological information and data, exchange of scientists, researchers, technicians and trainees for visits, study tours and advanced studies, organisation of bilateral scientific and technical meetings and joint research on projects of mutual interest.

On the basis of this Memorandum of Understanding, both Departments will finalise arrangements to begin cooperative activities this year.

Minister Bruton stated:

“Through the Action Plan for Jobs, the Government is committed to delivering a series of measures to build on our base of scientific research to help create economic growth and jobs. Increasingly our research is industry-led, and is aimed at commercial outcomes and job-creation, but we must do more.

“Ireland and China have participated in a number of research partnerships over the past decade but through the signature of this Memorandum of Understanding we look forward to more and more linkages between Irish research groups and innovative companies with counterparts in China.”

“By combining expertise in specific areas such as life sciences, groups from both countries can find solutions to problems or to discover new techniques to improve our lives and help create jobs”.